


In Training

by ponichtera



Series: Growing Up [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Light Romance, M/M, Underage - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-29 18:48:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8501245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ponichtera/pseuds/ponichtera
Summary: Before the finals in the Chunin Exam take place, Kakashi and Sasuke leave on  month long mission to train.





	1. Drunk

_Well,_ Kakashi thought sheepishly as he slumped against the alley wall and lazily slid to the ground, _I’m drunk._ Closing both eyes, he took a moment to gather himself and possibly stop the world from swimming. He’d never been this far gone before, usually knowing when he was at his limit. However, he’d let himself get carried away once again in one of Gai’s ridiculous challenges. Whoever could drink the most sake and still walk in a straight line was the winner. Kakashi never took Gai as the heavy drinking sort and so had expected an easy victory. How terribly wrong he’d been. Although still the decisive victor, Gai had pushed him far beyond his norm.

 _And now I can’t even make it the rest of the way home,_ the thought burned him profusely, because while it was still late, or was it early, soon the town would begin waking up and with the way he was feeling, there is no way he’d be sober before someone stumbles across him. Suddenly, a thunderous roar bellows through the alley way and moments later a heavy downpour ensues. _You have got to be kidding me._ Kakashi had always thought his luck was bad, but this was ridiculous.

* * *

 

Sasuke cursed under his breath and pulled his hood tighter over his head. It’d been rotten luck to get stranded in the rain like this but he’d been too focused on practicing the chidori to notice the ominous clouds rolling in the already dark sky. At least he wasn’t too far away from home, a small studio apartment at the edge of the civilian section, and cutting through this alley would help get him there faster. He’s barely rounded the corner when a familiar chakra greets him full on. At first he doesn’t see the man now curled in on himself about halfway down the narrow gap, but finally notices him. For just a moment Sasuke’s worried something might have happened and cautiously approaches his squad leader. However, as he gets closer, it becomes obvious that the older man isn’t hurt. At least not physically.

“What are you doing here?”

A low groan and slowly Kakashi turns his eye to look at him. “I thought that was you Sasuke. Although I have to admit I’m a tad bit embarrassed that it is you.”

Sasuke takes in his disheveled appearance, the way his body lay heavily on the wet floor, and the very faint smell of alcohol. “You’re drunk.” A comment not a question.

He thinks Kakashi tries to smile as his one good eye crinkles slightly at the corner. “You’re definitely my sharpest pupil Sasuke.”

Sasuke thinks about it for a second, then reaches out a hand. “Let me help you up. I assume your place is out of the question so why don’t you come back to mine before you get sick out here, or worse, someone finds you in this pathetic state.” He knows his voice is cold and clipped, but now the rain has soaked him to the core and he’s more than ready to get inside. Kakashi seems to be debating whether to take the offer which just pisses him off further. Without a word Sasuke takes back his hand and turns to head home.

He’s stopped and looks down to find Kakashi holding on to the sleeve of his jacket. “Alright kid, help me up.”

* * *

 

It takes a lot of effort getting him to Sasuke’s apartment on the second floor and Kakashi knows his clumsy footing hadn’t helped. _So much for all those years in ANBU._ Sasuke throws him on the bed at first chance through the door then turns to lock up behind them. This isn’t his first time in his young pupil’s home, but this time is far more awkward. Sasuke doesn’t seem to notice his discomfort as he switches on lights and the small heater in the corner. Still without speaking Kakashi watches as he removes his jacket, shirt, and shoes to pad around the room in nothing more than his wet pants. It’s a tad bit surprising for him that Sasuke appears unfazed walking around half naked in front of him, but the kid is only fourteen and might not think anything unusual since he’s his superior.

Kakashi takes this moment to look at the child, his eyes clouded by the sake. His frame is small, almost petite but one could tell that eventually he’ll grow out of it. His skin is porcelain white and looks even more so thanks to the rich blackness of his hair and eyes. Scars riddle the slightly muscled body from practices and missions gone wrong. “What are you staring at?” Snapped from his thoughts, Kakashi tries to sit up and gain some composure. Sasuke is suddenly at his side helping him upright. “Let’s take off your shirt and shoes at least and set them out to dry. I’d offer you something else to wear entirely but nothing I have will fit you.”

Small, calloused hands help first remove his sandals and socks, then to remove his shirt. _This is embarrassing,_ Kakashi muses as he watches the boy set his things out by the dryer and offers him a blanket to wrap in.

Silently Sasuke goes to the kitchen and opens his cupboard. “Do you want some soup or would you rather just sleep it off?”

Kakashi thinks about it and decides the latter. “I don’t think I’ll be able to hold anything down at this point.”

“Fine, take off your pants and get under the covers. I’m going to hop in the shower real fast.”

For some reason the thought of Sasuke in the shower tightens a knot in his stomach. _Must be the alcohol._ “Wait, if I’m in the bed, where are you going to sleep?”

“The floor is fine.”

“No, no, no, I’m not going to be that much of a burden. I’ll take the floor.”

“You’ll catch a cold. Just take the bed. I’m younger and can handle these things better.” Without another word Sasuke closes the door to the bathroom and a minute later the water turns on.

 _Well I’ll be damned._ He’d never been ordered around like this before, especially by someone this much younger than him. Still feeling too impaired to be disobedient and set up a futon on the floor, Kakashi barely struggles out of his pants, throws them at the heater, and nestles himself into the small bed engulfed in Sasuke’s smell. Sleep is not hard to come by.

* * *

 

The shower was quick but when he returns to the main room, now in dry pajama pants, Kakashi is already asleep snuggled in his bed. After laying out the older man’s pants properly by the heater, muttering a curse while doing so, he goes and checks on his sensei. The mask he always wears is still in place, but his breathing seems normal. Sasuke gently touches his forehead in case of fever, but his body temperature seems normal too. _Damn fool, know your limit._

Suddenly a strong arm reaches out from under the covers and Sasuke is pulled into bed. He doesn’t even have time to protest before he’s being smothered and pinned down. Both of Kakashi’s eyes are wide open as he stares intensely at Sasuke who nervously swallows a lump in his throat before croaking out, “What are you doing?”

“Sleep here with me.”

“What?” He can’t seem to keep his heart rate down and knows that Kakashi must be able to feel it pounding against his chest as they lay bare to one another.

Kakashi tightens his grip on Sasuke’s wrists and the boy is only slightly embarrassed that the man can hold both with just one hand. “I can’t let you sleep on the floor and risk catching a cold either, so just for tonight sleep here with me.” The tone in his voice in stern and unwavering. For a moment, Sasuke wonders if he is as drunk as he seemed, but the fact that he isn’t being careful to hide his sharingan is more than enough proof.

Not wanting to further upset him and just plain too tired to keep arguing, Sasuke eventually just nods and lets Kakashi turn him away to cuddle him closer to his body from behind. The position is oddly intimate with Kakashi’s arms wrapped around his torso and chest, keeping him close, and Sasuke firmly cradled in the curve of the other man’s body. Kakashi shifts slightly and Sasuke is far too aware of the situation he’s in. His sensei moves again, rubbing against him, and he blushes furiously, thankful that his face can’t be seen.

Kakashi whispers good night into his ear, sending chills down his spine, and eventually they both drift off to sleep.

 


	2. Restraint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days before they depart....

The world is a blur around him. His lungs are burning, his legs are aching, and every muscle is screaming to stop. He cannot afford to slow down. Just a little further, he can feel the menacing chakra growing stronger. Past these trees, through these branches. Why did he let them go alone, why did he think they were ready? Images of his previous fallen comrades fill his mind and fuel him to go faster. Not again, he wouldn’t let this happen again. He bursts into a small opening, finally here, but it’s too late. He falls to the small, lifeless lump and carefully turns it over. Orochimaru’s curse mark blazes painfully against pure white skin as it slowly consumes the child. He’s too late.

* * *

 

Kakashi opens both eyes suddenly wide awake. Sweat soaks his body in a light dew and for a moment he wonders where he is. Stirring in his arms pulls him to the small body he clutches like a life preserver. He gently runs a hand down bare skin and the body shivers lightly against him. He takes advantage that the child is still sleeping and rubs his masked face against feather soft hair, hugging the boy closer. His own body begins to shake as absentmindedly he touches the sealed curse mark. His chakra flares a bit in recognition then slowly dissipates.

That day had been hellish. Kakashi can still remember the way Orochimaru’s chakra had flared against his own as he used all his strength to somewhat contain the cursed mark the bastard had left. Guilt raked at the pit of his stomach as he watched his student curl in on himself. He buried it like he usually did and pushed onward without mercy. Sasuke had held on well. Since then Kakashi has almost unconsciously started investing more time into the boy.

“Is something wrong, Kakashi?”

Startled, his hands stop moving and rest flat against Sasuke’s chest. “Nothing, I hadn’t realized you’d woken up.”

“Not exactly on you’re A game this morning either then.”

A small smile tugs at Kakashi’s lips at the snide comment. “Must be hungover.”

“Is that why you still think its ok to hold on to me like I’m some girl?”

Reluctantly Kakashi releases him, the dream he’d had still fresh in his mind, and slowly sits up as Sasuke rolls out of bed and stomps off to the bathroom. Kakashi’s head is killing him, his mouth is dry, and he feels stiff from sleeping too deeply in the same position for the last few hours. He also gets out of bed and stretches, trying to ease some tension. To his right he hears something fall and to his amusement sees Sasuke standing there staring wide eyed at him. The young boy’s eyes hungrily devour his almost completely naked body as if he’s never seen anything like it before.

Kakashi laughs, “I think you dropped your toothbrush.”

Blushing furiously, Sasuke mutters something, picks up his toothbrush, and hurriedly returns to the bathroom. Kakashi dons his now dry clothes by the time the boy returns, not wanting to pick on him too much so early in the morning. He takes a seat at the kitchen table and watches his pupil hastily dress with his small back turned to him. Finally, Kakashi gets to his feet and offers to go out for breakfast.

They’re barely out the door and about to head to a local restaurant not too far away when none other than Shikamaru stops dead in front of them. His eyes quickly scan the situation and Kakashi is not surprised to see things register quickly in the young shinobi’s mind. However, he doesn’t bring it to attention and instead greets the two normally, “Good morning, Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke.”

Sasuke seems lost for a moment so Kakashi steps in. “Good morning Shikamaru, what has you over here so early this morning?”

“Early?” Shikamaru looks at the sun then back to them, his eyes saying that whatever he thought was going on earlier had just been proven true. “It’s almost noon.”

For a spilt second, Kakashi watches embarrassment color Sasuke’s cheeks but the disciplined ninja forces it away and once again dons his cold, expressionless façade. “Is there something you needed?”

Shikamaru nods, “The council was looking for Kakashi-sensei and said they couldn’t find him at his home or anywhere else. After asking around it seems no one had seen you since your drinking challenge with Gai-sensei last night so they sent me out to look for you. I just assumed Sasuke would have at least seen you. I didn’t necessarily think you’d be together.” His gaze hardens on the older man. “It was a real bother looking for you, you know. At least check in like a responsible adult or something.”

Kakashi can’t help but laugh. “So sorry, Shikamaru. Well looks like I’ll be off to see the council then. Let’s reschedule that meal, alright Sasuke?” And with a poof, he is gone.

* * *

 

Sasuke watches as his squad leader quickly escapes Shikamaru’s harsh gaze and can’t help but think, _coward._ Awkwardly, he meets his peer’s glare with his own before the other ninja rolls his eyes, puts his hands in his pockets, and sighs. “This is so troublesome.” With that they start walking to the very café Sasuke had planned to go to with Kakashi. Shikamaru doesn’t say a word. He’s beyond meaningless small talk and is too lazy to try delving into what seems like a complicated situation. Sasuke is just as eager to keep his mouth shut.

Meeting a drunk Kakashi last night had been very unexpected. Taking him back home had been a mistake and letting his sensei hold him like that had been an even bigger one. His face almost flushed as he remembers staring into the docile sharingan at such a close range. It mesmerized him and sedated a small part of him that was homesick. However, letting it get that out of hand just because of some feeble emotions and Kakashi’s brash behavior was no excuse.

* * *

 

Kakashi ducks his head into the main office of the Hokage tower. With the third Hokage deceased, the Konoha Council has taken up temporary power over the village. The three remaining members are patiently waiting behind the large desk. He smiles cheekily under his mask, crinkling the corner of his eye. “Were you waiting long?”

“Kakashi Hatake.” Lady Koharu’s voice is stern. They are not in the mood to play around. “Getting into frivolous drinking contests and then disappearing for hours. Please way your decisions a bit more rationally considering the state our village is in.”

Her words hit their mark and Kakashi bows slightly. “I apologize, why has the Council summoned me here?”

“In just a few days you’ll leave with Sasuke Uchiha to begin his one-month training before competing in the final stage of the Chunin exams.” Lord Homura now takes the lead. “His blood lust for revenge is strong, you must get that desire under control before it consumes him completely.”

He understands all too well what the Council fears. Sasuke turning rogue and following Orochimaru out of town is a highly possible scenario with the rage boiling inside the child. He truly desires to kill his older brother and avenge the deaths of his clan. Nothing will stand in his way of that goal and if it means using dirty methods to achieve it, then that is fine too. 

The meeting with the council lasted longer than he thought and by the time Kakashi was out he was simply starving. He enters the café he originally had planned to take Sasuke too. His luck is with him as he spots the boy at a table surrounded by kids. He’s somewhat surprised the usually aloof youth is the center of such a rambunctious crowd when he notices the reason why. Naruto is once again the source of the commotion. He’s accompanied by Sakura, Choji, and Kiba who also have joined Sasuke and Shikamaru at their table. They seem to be in a heated discussion as Kakashi approaches, smile crinkling his visible eye like always. “My, my, what a surprise to find you all here.”

“Kakashi-sensei!” Naruto exclaims. The yellow fluff ball could almost be the spitting image of his father. The thought nearly tugs at Kakashi’s heart. “Hey! You aren’t gonna guess who’s back in town.”

The older man takes a seat next to Sasuke letting his body slightly lean in to the younger. This action goes unnoticed by everyone except Shikamaru who watches the two beneath half closed lids. “Hmm, I guess I wouldn’t know.” He says that, but he has a good idea who Naruto means. Jiraiya’s return hadn’t exactly been kept secret from him, but why ruin the kid’s fun?

Naruto laughs joyously. “That pervy-sage Jiraiya!” His face is practically glowing with enthusiasm. “And guess who’s he picked as his student for the next month?” Once again Kakashi feigns ignorance. “Me! Can you believe it? Working that close with a legendary Sannin for a whole month! Sasuke you better watch out because when I get back I’m gonna wipe the floor with you!”

The other boy just huffs. “Speaking of training the next month.” Kakashi lazily gets to his feet and pulls out an Icha Icha Romance novel from thin air as if he’s bored with the silly banter. “We leave in three days Sasuke-kun. Start preparing.”

* * *

 

_Faster, I must be faster. Dodge, left, right. Behind that tree? Is that the real one? Nope._

Sasuke feels something slice at his arm. The light burning sensation brings him to full concentration, hyper aware of everything around him. He breaks, hides on a fuller tree branch surrounded by leaves, as well hidden as he can get for the moment. He closes his eyes, takes a breath, and stills every fiber of his body. Slowly he opens his eyes, the Sharingan awakened. Everything comes at him at once. Naruto after Naruto with flying kicks and killer punches. Shurikens seeming to come out of nowhere.

_Where is he? Above? Below? There he is._

Sasuke rushes with full force and lands a solid blow to his teammates face. Both boys slam into the trees around them and fall, breaking branches along the way. Finally, a particularly thick one stops them. Sasuke can’t breathe for a moment. He feels drained, his body tired and sore. Next to him Naruto is stirring, but he also seems to be taking it hard. A small glee of satisfaction brings a smile creeping to his lips, but he squelches it at the sound of Sakura and Kakashi approaching.

Sakura comes to his side immediately. “Sasuke-chan, are you alright?”

He brushes the girl off, uncomfortable with her being so close to him. “I’m fine. You should be checking on Usuratonkachi over there.”

Sakura takes the hint and bounces over to Naruto who is more than eager for her attention. Kakashi lands gently next to him and barely touches his ribs. The pain is sharp but not too bad. Just bruised. “Are you going to heal in time to depart in a couple of days? I’d hate to have to leave you behind.”

Sasuke swats the older ninja’s hand away and glares, the Sharingan still in effect. “I’ll be fine.” 

The look on Kakashi’s face is dark and intense. A small shiver creeps through his body and catches his breath. He can see his sensei restrain himself from reaching out to him. The old man’s body is eerily still, his muscles seeming to shake with the force of control it took. _What is going on with us?_

“Kakashi-sensei, Naruto’s jaw is broken. We’ll have to take him to the hospital.”

Suddenly the atmosphere changes and Kakashi glares furiously at Sasuke. “You need to restrain yourself better Sasuke. This is only a practice after all.”

Sasuke can only nod, the anger blazing in Kakashi’s eye stilling any words he has.

* * *

 

As it turned out, Kakashi ended up having to carry both young shinobi back into town. Naruto was still too dazed to keep an even foot and Sasuke’s landing on the tree branch made moving too difficult for him. Of course, while Naruto had no choice but to be admitted to the hospital, Sasuke refused, almost kicking and screaming like a child. Kakashi instead left Sakura to watch over Naruto and brought the other boy back to his apartment. Once there the stubborn child tries to do everything he normally does but eventually gives up and lets Kakashi take over.

“This is embarrassing.” Sasuke mumbles as he lays on his bed.

Kakashi laughs, “Now you know how I felt last night.”

“Ha, does this mean I get to spoon you tonight?”

In an instant Kakashi is above him. The older shinobi’s body is tight with anticipation. The look of fear on the boy’s face is just icing on the cake. Dark thoughts swirl in Kakashi’s mind and for a split second he almost loses it to them. Instead, he takes a step back and tries to smile at the child. “How about first you take a warm shower, then we can discuss sleeping arrangements.” He holds out a hand and guides Sasuke to the bathroom. He helps him to remove his shirt and shoes and even daringly undoes the button on the young boy’s pants. He can feel Sasuke tense as his finger slides just below the top, but he merely unsnaps the button and backs away. “Let me know if you need any more help.”

At that, Kakashi leaves, closing the bathroom door behind him. After minutes of quiet muttering and even quieter struggling, he hears Sasuke turn on the water. Finally, he can let the breath he’s been holding and slumps miserably into one of the kitchen chairs. _What the hell am I thinking?_ For some reason, Kakashi is having trouble escaping the game he had started with the boy the night before.   Light, insignificant teasing is blossoming into full on interest with his body responding. _I’m sick._ The knowledge that Sasuke has only just recently turned fourteen and the fact that he himself is already twenty-seven plays even bigger on the guilt he already feels. _Don’t forget he’s your student._

Sighing, Kakashi steps out for a moment and grabs some food from a shop down the way. When he returns, he can hear the shower has stopped, but the bathroom is eerily quiet. Cautiously, he approaches the door and knocks. “Are you alight?”

“I’m fine.” Sasuke’s gruff voice is laced with pain.

A few more seconds of silence and Kakashi starts to worry that the kid might be more hurt than he let on. “Hey open the door and show me that you’re alright.”

“I told you I’m fine.” There is a sternness to the young voice that shouldn’t be there at his age. Years of being alone can make anyone hard.

“Look, you either open the door yourself, or in a few seconds I break it down. Your choice.” He hated getting this overbearing with the boy, but stubbornness was no excuse if he needs real medical attention. A soft click and the bathroom door slowly opens. Sasuke is still wrapped in a towel from the waist down and is sitting on the floor in a stiff position. “What happened?”

A light flush crawls over all that precious white skin and Kakashi is taken back for a moment. Sasuke refuses to look him in the eye as he speaks, “I don’t know. It’s just like all my muscles decided to tense up at once and I suddenly wasn’t able to move.”

The older man knew extreme fatigue when he saw it and the way the younger man’s muscles were coiling under his skin was a sure sign of it. Lack of sleep, not eating entirely too well, and more than likely dehydration were the cause. Not to forget that even though his seal was still firmly in place on the curse mark marring his student’s body, that too was more than likely taking energy from him. “Here, let me help you up and into some pants. I bought some food too.”

As always, Kakashi was surprised by how light this child was. His delicate frame could be cradled easily in the shinobi’s arms although not for very long. Right on cue Sasuke started to fidget. “Just bring me to my closet and I’ll change myself.” He did as he was told, relishing for a few moments in the warm, smooth skin of the small boy. Silently he watched from the corner of his eye as that determined figure fought through the stiffness and pain just so that he could don a pair of pants by himself. The whole ordeal left him obviously winded and when he tried to take a step toward the kitchen, but ended up falling, Kakashi was right there with arms outstretched to catch him.

For a few minutes longer than it should have taken for Sasuke to regain his breath, he held the lad close to him in a somewhat inappropriate embrace. Stirring once again, but before he could say anything, Kakashi plopped him into one of the chairs and started dividing out the food. “I hope you don’t mind curry.”

* * *

 

Once again it is time to lay down for the night, and once again Sasuke finds himself in an awkward position. While he is grateful to his teacher for taking care of him after his incident earlier, although granted he had been extremely embarrassed by how frail he’d been in front of the older shinobi, he now is at a loss of what to do since Kakashi seems set on staying the night again. A little too intensely, Sasuke finds himself watching as his sensei removes his shirt and vest. A colorful array of scars and still not quite healed bruises litter the much more muscular adult body. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t keep the warmth from his face as he continues staring blatantly at the older man moving closer to him.

_Like a freaking giant cat._

“Is there something you need, Sasuke-kun?” Never has he heard his name purred like that out of anyone’s mouth. A shocked chill runs through his whole body and forces him to close his eyes for a moment. The thought, _what’s wrong with me?_ Reverberates repeatedly through his mind as he chases away dark thoughts. A strong hand touches his bare shoulder and startles his eyes open. Kakashi is staring intently at him with both eyes. The [Sharingan](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Sharingan) bores deep into his body, both familiar and yet completely different from his own. “You seem a bit dazed, you should lay down.” With a light push, Sasuke finds himself flat on his bed, his sensei towering over him.

Carefully, he moves away and Kakashi follows him until they’re both snuggled under the covers. Like the night before, Sasuke lets the older man turn him away and then pull him into the curve of his body. Its warm here and far too comfortable. Without much effort, Sasuke finds himself falling into a deep sleep.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here is part two and part three should be posted soon. Thanks for reading.


	3. Day One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day one of their mission.

White hot flames lick at his skin as pain continues to pulse through his body. He strains against it and tries to stay in an upright position but soon finds himself curled on the floor as his muscles spasm. Every nerve is alive and electric, crying out in misery. He feels as if he’s being ripped apart and yet his mind can still comprehend that he is whole. Slowly the agony he’s in begins to subside and nausea curls his stomach. He’s afraid that if he hurls now all his insides will come with it. He takes a breath and his lungs ache. How long had he not been breathing? Finally, his senses return to him and although he’s still sore, it’s nothing compared to what he just went through.

A cool hand helps him to his feet. When he looks up a burning red eye bores into his consciousness and he quickly blacks out.

* * *

 

The day of the mission arrives two full nights after Sasuke was injured. Kakashi insisted on staying over both despite Sasuke’s annoyance. He honestly didn’t understand why his sensei found it necessary to hang around even though by the next day he’d been almost fully recovered if not just a bit sore. What also bothered him, was that it wasn’t like the older shinobi was doing anything helpful for him, like cooking. The old man just hung out on his sofa reading and chit chatting with him as if he lived there.

“Ready to take off?” Sasuke is pulled from his memories as Kakashi steps in front of him fully garbed in Jounin attire.

The younger boy just nods his head as he fixes his pack and the two dash from the gate entrance. They start at a fast pace, leaping silently from tree to tree. Their plan was to get at least over the border to the Land of Rivers by evening where they would hopefully find a cave in the rough mountain terrain and make camp. Most of the distance covered would be easy enough simply slipping through the forest, but once leaving the Land of Fire, the geography would become more difficult and they would also have to detour the towns and villages in-between.

They continued in silence. Having worked and trained together so closely the last few months, simple hand gestures and slight changes in their movement were signal enough should their route need to be altered. Sasuke let Kakashi take the lead since he seemed to know the area better, falling comfortably behind his teacher. He took a small bit of pride knowing that the older shinobi did not need to alter his pace for Sasuke to keep up. Lately he’d been working on his stamina and so constant speed was no problem for him.

The day passes in a blur. They hardly stopped to eat, breaks were taken only to touch base with the map, and water was drank on the move. The sun began to set behind a wall of mountains making night approach sooner at their base. Kakashi pauses for a moment and scans ahead. “If I remember right, there should be a cave up on that narrow ridge right above us. The mouth is narrow so it’ll be easy for us to keep watch.”

“You’ve been to this area before?” Kakashi had quickly briefed Sasuke the day before on the details of their trip. His sensei wanted to take him through the most difficult terrain to reach the desert of the Land of Wind. Most of his training will take place in the harsh environment. Kakashi had muttered something about making him resilient.  

His sensei answers nonchalantly. “Once or twice. Let’s get up the rock before it gets too dark to see. The environment here isn’t very safe at night.”

Without another word, they begin climbing. Sasuke makes certain to pay special attention to where Kakashi steps not wanting to accidently loose footing on a piece of earth. Once again he can’t help but feel slightly pleased with himself by how well he is keeping up with the older man. He won’t be the one slowing the other down.

“Just as I thought.” They came up to the extremely fine ledge. Kakashi pulls himself up first and quickly scurries into a hole barely big enough for him to squeeze through. Sasuke follows, finding himself in a smallish cavern but large enough to hold both him and his sensei comfortably enough. “Let me see your pack.”

Doing as he was told, Sasuke stiffly slips his supplies from his back and hands them over. Kakashi places it behind him in a small nook next to his own. It gives them more space to lay out their sleeping bags later. “I’m guessing no fire tonight?”

The older ninja nods. “We’ll eat the dry preserves tonight and cook during the day. I want to draw as little attention to ourselves as possible until we reach the Land of Wind. Rogue Ninjas plague these parts and I don’t really feel like getting into a worthless battle.”

Sasuke leans back against the rocky wall. He didn’t exactly agree with what his sensei is saying but knew better than to argue with the man on it.

Kakashi throws him a bit of meat and his canteen from his bag. “Let’s get to sleep early tonight. I want to run you hard tomorrow and make it to the next campsite with time for you to train.”

The boy felt a slight heat to his face but he tilted it to the shadow so his companion didn’t see. He can’t believe he’d gotten all embarrassed over a simple fraise of words. It had to be because of the way the older ninja had been treating him. Although in public life and during practices, he never took it easy on the kid, Sasuke can’t help but dwell on the way his sensei acted while they were in private.  

Suddenly a dark thought comes to the lad’s mind. “Kakashi, I don’t want your pity because of the curse mark Orochimaru gave me or because of the seal you had to place over it.” He states bluntly.

The other ninja is clearly taken aback by the sudden outburst. “What makes you think that I am pitying you, Sasuke-kun?”

Slightly unnerved by his own sudden emotion, he responds rather quietly. “The way you’ve been…” he pauses for the right word, “treating me when we’re alone.”

His teacher is on him so fast the young boy loses his breath. He hadn’t even seen him move. A deadly aura is surrounding the bigger man; it presses against him as Kakashi leans in to whisper in his ear rather harshly. “And what makes you think I’m treating you that way because I feel pity? I’ll have you know, little one, that thought is the furthest thing on my mind.” 

Sasuke is completely stunned. He can’t move and must fight the urge to not tremble. Kakashi eventually moves away and resembles an air of normalcy; although there is still a tension hanging in the cave. Trying as best he can to get comfortable, the child curls up in the deeper portion of the cave while Kakashi takes a position back towards the entrance. The younger shinobi finds that sleep is going to be harder than he thought when he feels a light touch running through his hair and hears very faint humming. Once again Kakashi has moved closer to him without him even realizing. The shinobi’s skill level is somewhat intimidating. Embarrassment over being treated like such a child burns his face, but the melody is somehow soothing and he can’t bring himself to tell his sensei to knock it off as his body began to grow heavy.

* * *

 

He knew he shouldn’t be doing this, but Kakashi can’t resist using the opportunity to run his fingers through that feather soft black hair and sing to him a song he knew all too well. This is completely against protocol. If any of the other shinobi saw him treating Sasuke like this, they would have him punished severely. To think that a mentor would start to harbor such feelings for his pupil, especially one at this age, is unthinkable.

Sasuke makes a small noise, almost like a sigh, and Kakashi hears him murmur something with barely a whisper. Not thinking much of it, he continues, yet once again he hears the one word repeated under the boy’s breath. He almost unconsciously leans closer and is surprised when he makes out the name. Itachi, Sasuke’s older brother and the single person the child hates the most in the world. The pain of what he did to their family burns his soul even more furiously than the curse Orochimaru left. Vengeance is the sole purpose this young man believes he has in living. Killing his brother is the goal for him now. The whole ordeal is almost comical in such a morbid sense. To have the one person you look up to most in the world, betray you to such a degree, he can’t blame him. Kakashi can only hope to guide him down another path and save him from the empty life he’ll find once Itachi is dead.

* * *

 

Sasuke opens his eyes groggily. Right away he can tell it’s still night outside the cave. The only light is the faint white glow of the moon as it shines through the small gap illuminating Kakashi like a mythical being. For a moment, he’s boyishly memorized, but he shakes the illusion off and slowly sits up. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing.” The older man smiles as he pulls back into the cave. Sasuke would have thought it be more difficult for his larger frame to find a somewhat comfortable spot to lay, but he should have realized that his sensei would find a way to make a bed of nails easy to sleep on. For a time, he just lay there himself, staring blankly into the darkness. His ninja senses delicately scan the immediate area, but at this time of night not even the animals are stirring.

Just on the blush of dawn, that awkward period between darkness and light where practically nothing moves, a hand suddenly clamps down on his mouth and he’s pulled into the curve of someone’s body. Of course, it’s not just someone. In such a cramp place, it’d be near impossible for an enemy to sneak up on him. Kakashi is eerily still and his grip is almost too tight. The boy is at a loss for what’s suddenly gotten into the old ninja when he finally senses them. Flashes of chakra as they make their way back to town possibly from a mission. Even though he can’t see them with his eyes, his senses are onto them. Their level of cloaking is good and yet not that surprising considering they most likely hail from the Village Hidden in the Valleys.

Kakashi’s chi engulfs Sasuke. He can feel it overlapping his own and surrounding them both in a barrier. The man is hiding them from the possible enemies with his own cloak. In this situation, with the small boy’s back firmly against the larger chest, he can feel a quickening heartbeat. Either out of strain or excitement, his sensei’s adrenaline is starting to accelerate. They pass them by without even noticing and gently Sasuke is released from the death grip.

“How did you sense them?”

“Their vail was thick and incredibly misleading to the mind. If I had been fully awake, I might not have noticed it at all.”

Even though the older man has loosened his grip, he still leaves his arms around the young boy. Sasuke doesn’t know whether to move away or wait until his teacher is ready to let go. While he couldn’t sense any more shinobi, the jonin is an elite fighter and may be picking up on something the lesser experienced ninja could not.

“The sun is coming up.” Kakashi’s abrupt words almost make him jump. “Let’s pack up and head out before any of the nearby villages start to wake.”

The kid nods and moves forward when he is stopped. The man’s large hands pressed against his chest hold him back. Not as tight when Kakashi thought they were in danger, but enough to keep him from leaving the curve of the older body. “Is there something else?”

“No.” And he is suddenly released.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am trying to stick to the Naruto universe as best I can at least geographically. Let me know any errors for the up coming chapters. Sorry for this one being so short.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this. I have two more chapters complete and will start working on the fourth. I did transfer this from FanFiction.com but I like this forum a lot better. Thanks again!


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